Governor Udom Emmanuel has diligently in the last three years of leadership followed the words of Thomas Fuller, an English Churchman, that “Charity begins at home but does not end there”, and this is evident in his uncanny disposition to evenly distribution of projects across the three senatorial districts, federal constituency, local government and wards.
Since he mounted the saddle, he has kept to the avowed promise of his five point agenda; infrastructural consolidation and expansion, political and economic inclusion, wealth creation, poverty alleviation, and job creation.
His administration culminates Joy, and bonds in Unity, hence the Eket Senatorial district can boldly boast of an erudite and astute administrator, a great son who is working vigorously not just to satisfy the needs of the senatorial district, which had long been abandoned by successive administrations despite being the capital source of income to the country.
In infrastructure, Governor Udom Emmanuel has impacted positively in this geo-political axis, through numerous construction of Urban and rural roads, emergency interventions, flood controls, completion of outfalls, and lot more. To mention a few is the construction and remodeling of roads, strategic roundabouts and junctions in Eket Metropolis (Phases 1 & II). – 1.6km Dualized & 2.2km expanded Carriageway; Dualization of the 19.5km Eket – Ibeno Road; dualization of 23.4km Eket – Etinan Road with 3 Bridges; construction of 2.7km Ikot Abasi Road in Eket Local Government; construction of 15.1km Ndon Eyo – Ikot Akpatek – Odio Road; construction of 13.5km Ikot Ebiere – Ikot Edor – Ikot Iko Ibon – Okom Road and Ukpana – Akpabom – Ikwe Road in Onna and Mkpat Enin LGAs, Dualization of 29.0km Etinan – Ndon Eyo Road with 2 Cable Bridges; construction of 19.0km Etebi – Enwang Road Project with 2 Bridges; construction of 5km Ikot Usop – Ikot Edeghe – Ikot Ekpuk road with a 30m Span Bridge in Mkpat Enin; construction of Gully Erosion Control Facilities at Oron/Isangedighi Road, and reconstruction of more than 15 internal roads in Oron Urban. In Okobo, dualization of the 14.5km Uyo/Airport Junction – Okopedi Okobo Road, Phase I.
The emergence and completion of these roads projects were true to the words of Governor Udom Emmanuel when he visited Oron, shortly after his assumption of office, precisely on rainy day, to inspect the plight of the Mainland Avenue, a road that leads to the Maritime Academy, and other major roads, connecting to the ancient Oron city which had long been cut off by erosion and people were no longer able to access the famous Oron beach and other landmarks.
Barely a year after the visit, Governor Udom Emmanuel returned to commission several other roads, and added that the projects are part of his blueprint for the urbanisation of all corners of Eket senatorial district.
In sports development and youth empowerment, the old Eket Township Stadium had become an eyesore. Today, Governor Udom Emmanuel has intervened, answering the prayers of Eket people in a spectacular way. The Eket stadium is a 15,000-seater edifice designed to be equipped with high quality tartan tracks and astro football turf and other appurtenances imported from major sports capitals.
Another landmark achievement recorded in this geopolitical axis is the numerous industries scattered across the district; coconut plantation and refinery project, flour mill, as well as the Jubilee Syringe factory, metering solution factory, recently commissioned by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who described Governor Udom Emmanuel as a very clever governor. The syringe company is running for instance eight production lines providing jobs for over 100 youths in Akwa Ibom with plans to extend to 600 persons after expansion.
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Workers in these industries, extol Governor Udom Emmanuel for his foresight, in diverting the economy of the state from civil service, saying that this has resulted in vast employment for the youths in the state. They recounted their encounter in Turkey during the training programme sponsored by the state government
In the power sector, the governor, in readiness for the proposed “Power for All”, on 27th July, 2016 performed a ground breaking ceremony of the construction of 132/33KV, 1 x 30 MVA transmission sub-station cited at Ekim in Mkpat Enin LGA. He reiterated that the sub-station was poised to feed five local government areas – Eastern Obolo, Ikot Abasi, Onna, Mkpat Enin, and Oruk Anam – with 24 hour power supply, and the industries in the belt will not need the services of their power generating sets any further.
In healthcare delivery, Immanuel General hospital, Eket, Oron General Hospital, and Okobo General Hospital at Managing, are currently undergoing facelifts and are expected to be revamped with the new sets of modern medicare facilities brought in from the United States of America, by the Governor who believes that health is wealth.
In the area of education, several schools in the three federal constituencies have since worn new looks through the rapid interventions of the Governor. Using his inter-ministerial direct labour coordinating committee, as well as the state Universal Basic Education, over 200 school projects have been executed by M. Emmanuel in the areas of renovation, new structures and provision of learning facilities, 60 of which have been completed.
It could therefore be rightly said that these and many more reasons are why the people of that district are coming together on Monday August 20, 2018 in their tens of thousands at the Onna Township Stadium to celebrate their illustrious son as a good leader and worthy ambassador.
Essien Ndueso: e-mail:[email protected]
